Campione 14

by The Eighth Godslayer

  Just as Ena had reported earlier, Uldin did resemble Godou in face. However, it was not like they were two of the same mold. At most, one could conclude they were "blood-related cousins" but that was it.

  More than anything else, it was their overall appearance that contributed the most to their resemblance.

  Both were roughly 180cm tall. Black hair. Black irises. Furthermore, Uldin was undoubtedly mongoloid in race. The Huns were the descendants of the Xiongnu tribes that had fled from the orient—Godou recalled this description.

  "In that case, comrade, let me ask you a question. Why did you get in my way?"

  "Well... If I let you do as you pleased, you're going to destroy the town the way you wrecked the castle gates and attack the people, right?"

  The ancient Campione had a relatively well-proportioned face. However, compared to his face, his vigorous and forceful airs left the deepest impression on others.

  Godou gazed into Uldin's sharp eyes and said:

  "How could I ignore such a cruel act occurring before my eyes? People will surely die."

  "Well, that's because there's a war going on. But don't worry, I'm not the type to hunt down and slaughter those who flee. It's much more profitable to sell captives as slaves."

  Surrendered enemies were the victor's property. Indeed, it was a notion that belong to ancient ways of thinking.

  Uldin declared "I am not a man who indulges in needless slaughter!" and proudly puffed out his chest.

  Despite realizing there was a fundamental difference in values between them, Godou still tried to persuade Uldin.

  "Like I said, I can't approve of that."

  "Why? I have no intention of entering a conflict with you. Not only that, but I also want to treat you like a guest. I could even hold a welcoming feast for you."

  Feeling puzzled, Uldin stroked the messy beard on his chin.

  Very likely, he was completely unable to comprehend why Godou would propose a "cessation of hostilities."

  "It's quite rare for me to meet another of my kin. Although I've no idea if we could get along harmoniously, I really hoped we could at least toast and share drinks before we part ways. Comrade, that's really cold of you."

  Uldin ended up sounding like a cool and hearty hero.

  Perhaps in Uldin's mind, using physical force to invade and plunder was no different from industries like hunting and fishing.

  Godou frowned.

  This man was a godslayer and a member of a warring equestrian tribe that treated conflict and plundering as their daily life in this time period.

  Was it really a set of values incompatible with that of the modern pacifist, Kusanagi Godou—?

  "No, wait a minute. I get it now. Hahaha, I guess it's my fault for overlooking something."

  Uldin suddenly laughed.

  "Sorry, my bad my bad. I should have realized sooner why you're giving me such a hard time. This city has caught your fancy too, huh?"

  "Oi."

  "Let's be open with it all. You want to compete with me to see who can become the master of the city, right?"

  Godou was shocked by Uldin who was speaking like a friendly older brother. Furthermore, Uldin was casting gentle glances at Erica and Ena who had been listening intently to their conversation.

  "These are your women, right? Excellent taste, I'd say. Speaking of which, the one known as the 'Holy Maiden' is also inside that castle. Did you know that she is also quite an outstanding beauty?"

  Uldin's tone of voice was upfront and lacked any sense of tension.

  However, that did not imply laxity in battle preparedness. Were Godou to attack, Uldin would surely respond in kind with a smile.

  "Or perhaps, you'd like to make the Holy Maiden your woman as well? Hohoho, she is definitely no ordinary person for she seems to possess strange powers."

  Uldin inquired in a testing manner. A shred of acuteness only flashed for an instant amidst his gentle gaze.

  Holy Maiden—Who on earth could she be? Was she really Madame Aisha?

  Faced with Godou's surprise, the equestrian godslayer began to utter nonsense while seated on his dragon saddle.

  "Well, since we're both godslayers, I think it'd be a great idea to have a battle to decide who gets the city and the woman. Very well, let me take a little time to consider whether or not to accept your challenge. Please wait for my reply!"

  Uldin patted his dragon mount on the head.

  The black pterosaur flapped its wings forcefully and rose through the sky, illuminated by the evening glow.

  Only at this moment did Godou notice.

  The divine beast had displayed excessive wariness when approaching the Campione, Kusanagi Godou, at close range.

  But in the scene just now, the black dragon had not shown any signs of fear. This was probably the terrifying aspect of Uldin's power to control and command dragons.

  "A temporary farewell, comrade. Please tell me your name next time. I am Uldin and people sometimes call me [Tyr's Sword] or [Devil King]!"

  Leaving behind this hearty farewell, Uldin flew east.

  After watching the figure disappear into the sky, Godou returned to the carriage.

  "What should we do next? Should we just enter the castle?"

  Mounting the carriage's driver perch, Ena asked.

  It looked like she had gotten off earlier in order to stand by in case Godou needed assistance. On the other hand, Erica had not dismounted, acting literally like a "knight." She replied:

  "Of course. Let's enter the place as planned."

  "But is this really okay? His Majesty and Uldin-san just fought a magnificent skirmish. Those people look very wary."

  "Precisely because of that, things will be easy. Rather, I'd say it's perfect."

  Several soldiers had returned to the top of the castle walls during this time.

  In lowered stances, they were peeking at Godou's group. Even from far away, it was obvious that their attention was directed towards this group—More accurately, they were staring at Kusanagi Godou.

  While enduring the gazes of these ancient people, Erica and Ena continued their discussion.

  "If we wanted to, we could easily engage them in battle all at once. Besides, Godou is right here, yes?"

  "That's very true. So, if they decide to attack, why don't we simply take the castle for ourselves? Then we'll use it for the battle against Uldin-san."

  "That idea is under review, but I don't think it actually matters."

  Erica assured them from astride her beloved horse.

  "Even if we don't go that far, Godou can definitely stay here as a guest without any problems. It's not too difficult to become the highest actual authority here, either."

  "As expected of Erica-san. Your plan probably embodies the description, solid as a mountain."

  "......"

  Before they entered the castle gates, Godou listened to the two girls engaged in a discussion about unsettling plans for conquest.

  Although Godou was shocked by their radical ideas, he did not express his objections.

  Ena took up the reins and made the carriage move towards the castle gates. Erica also rode her horse beside them.

  Godou was not sure what the blonde female devil was planning exactly, but he resolved to stop her if she brings calamity to the citizens... Godou swore secretly to himself.

  After several minutes, the trio finally passed through the gates.

  Instead of being vertical, the castle walls sloped gently on the inner side. These walls were constructed by piling a large amount of stones over earthwork fortifications. There were steps in various places, allowing the castle walls to be easily mounted.

  The rectangular stronghold occupied an area of roughly 500m by 600m.

  One could describe it as the size of a village. In actual fact, there were five or six rows of buildings resembling townhouses. Godou was struck by a sense of deja vu, reminded of Japanese residential neighborhoods and areas with singles apartments.

  T
he center of the stronghold was called a plaza.

  Several hundred soldiers were currently gathered at the plaza.

  Most of the soldiers were wearing helmets and ring mail while armed with spears and oval shields.

  Godou, Erica and Ena walked right into this armed gathering. Normally, they should be the ones venturing in trepidation, fearful of the situation.

  However, the soldiers were actually the ones watching Godou's group in fear instead.

  Just as they were about to arrive before the army, Erica suddenly spoke up:

  "I wish to speak to this castle's commander. Is there any problem!?"

  Without dismounting her horse, she simply asked elegantly.

  Tossing the blonde hair that adorned her head like a crown with its reddish luster, Erica gazed down at the soldiers.

  It almost looked as though she were the superior officer in charge of this army. Then the soldiers parted all at once, allowing a man whose helmet was decorated with feathers to approach.

  It was the person Uldin had addressed as the commander.

  "What business do you have, lady? Do you serve that man over there...?"

  After taking a glance at Godou and Ena, the commander asked stiffly.

  During this time period, blonde hair and blue eyes were the characteristics of most members of Germanic tribes. On the other hand, Japanese people with their black hair and black irises would look like Huns like Uldin.

  The commander seemed to understand why one member of the trio was of a different ethnicity.

  On the other hand, Erica still puffed out her chest despite being mistaken for a slave, smiling with a "Hmph."

  "I shall explain my position in detail later. But first, please answer this question. Do you have any intention of hiring my master, Kusanagi Godou, as a mercenary?"

  "Did you say mercenary?"

  The commander was surprised. However, the suggestion was also quite unexpected for Godou as well.

  Godou stared at Erica intently. She continued to explain in an elegant tone of voice.

  "This Kusanagi Godou here is a man who shares the same origins with [Tyr's Sword] Uldin."

  "So he really is from the barbarians..."

  "Just as you all know, Uldin is a warrior who wields power equal to the gods. However, Kusanagi Godou also possesses the same ability. You saw how they both shot fire descending from the heavens, yes?"

  "Hmm..."

  "In terms of power, they are equals. However, Kusanagi Godou absolutely does not share Uldin's ambitions. We now offer you the opportunity to hire Kusanagi Godou and his tribe as soldiers, yes?"

  Two hours later, Kusanagi Godou had become the captain of the mercenaries of Augusta Raurica's border defense. His identity and status were now guaranteed.

  However, one could describe the terms of employment as absolutely absurd.

  Kusanagi Godou and his subordinates were given full autonomy on the battlefield. They were open to requests but were not duty-bound to follow orders. Every month, they were paid a massive salary. Etc etc.

  "Hey you, those are really astounding demands. Are you trying to squeeze them dry and swallow them alive..."

  "It's all good. Apart from you, Godou, there is no one else capable of fighting Uldin."

  Godou expressed his opinion, but the blonde negotiator defended herself.

  As a side note, they were now currently at the stronghold's headquarters in front of the plaza just now. This building contained spacious halls, corridors lined with columns, and even a central courtyard. The design was quite majestic.

  Godou's group had gone to the empty courtyard to engage in a discussion between moderners.

  "Because they know that very well, they accepted the unprecedented terms and conditions."

  "But they hired His Majesty so readily despite the fact that he looks like one of Uldin-san's tribesmen. Why isn't there more resentment or wariness?"

  Ena's mutterings caused Erica to chuckle with a smile.

  "It's not a problem at all. During this time period, the Roman army would often hire foreign ethnicities by the tribe as a unit to serve as mercenaries. Examples include Germanic peoples such as the Goths or the Vandals, and of course, the Huns as well."

  "Even Uldin's tribe as well!?"

  "Yes. Remember back when we were investigating the mystery of Sir Lancelot, the names of Sarmatians and Scythians came up? They frequently served in the Roman Empire as mercenaries."

  "Why would they hire armies of foreign ethnicity specifically ..."

  "During this time period, the Roman army had lost its former strength and were weakening progressively. Furthermore, equestrian tribes were far superior as cavalry. Even the Germanic peoples were far more familiar with horses than true Romans."

  Erica explained to alleviate Godou's shock.

  "In the end, excessive reliance on foreign mercenaries was one of the reasons for the Western Roman Empire's collapse. But because we are in this sort of era, thriving is a simple matter provided you have that desire, Godou."

  "What do you mean by that?"

  "Ah, basically this. Seizing real military power in the countryside and establishing yourself as a warlord."

  Ena began to giggle like a mischievous child.

  "In an era when central authority has weakened, those who wield military power are effectively the ones in power. The rise of many feudal lords during Japan's Warring States Period followed the same principles."

  "Yeah, now that you've made it that explicit, even I get it now. But come on, you two!"

  Hearing the two girls' unsettling conversation, Godou protested with deep feeling.

  "Didn't you two advise me a few days earlier? About taking care not to change the course of history?"

  Godou's reminder produced a clear effect. Ena smiled in embarrassment while Erica turned her face away as if to hide her expression. Clearly the two girls had forgotten their own advice.

  "Fair enough. But given who you are, Your Majesty, it's like having the strongest army even alone by yourself, so Ena could not help but naturally get excited."

  "In actual fact, Uldin has been doing whatever he wants by himself most of the time."

  "That's right, that's right. Also, displaying your valor to the world and conquering the land in unification, that would feel quite cool. If you put some effort into it, perhaps you could become a great king whose name is recorded in this era's history, Your Majesty."

  "You could inherit the dream that Alexander III of Macedonia could not realize."

  "It'd be fun if you could achieve Genghis Khan's great conquests, seven hundred years before he does it."

  "But if your territory grows too vast, it'd be difficult to administer your rule. This type of large empire always breaks down from its core. This has been proven by history."

  "Wow, the ideas just keep coming once we start thinking about this."

  Hearing Ena and Erica chatting nonstop in excitement, Godou began to ponder.

  This team of two girls were equipped with intellect, initiative and occasional bursts of impulse. Indeed, they were more dangerous than could be imagined. In order to prevent these two girls from going out of control, Godou resolved himself to watch over them carefully.

  Godou steeled his determination once more.

  "Our first priority is returning to the present. Please rein in your conspiracies—"

  Just as he spoke up, cheering could be heard from the plaza outside.

  The soldiers were apparently clamoring.

  "The great Holy Maiden is here! We're going to be healed by the great Holy Maiden!"

  These honest and unsophisticated cries were filled with admiration and faith.

  Part 2

  Accompanied by Erica and Ena, Godou exited the headquarters.

  There were roughly ten soldiers lying stretched out on the stronghold's plaza. Among them were people with injuries of varying severity: those with minor afflictions like bruises and broken bones, unconscious people, those wrapp
ed in layers of bandages due to severe burns, etc. There were even a few soldiers on the verge of death.

  Their painful moans made Godou uncomfortable.

  "They were apparently caught in the blast when Uldin's dragon spewed out lightning just now."

  Erica had inquired about the situation from the soldiers gathered nearby.

  Also, there was a black-haired woman standing before a wounded soldier who was lying on the ground. Due to the loose white robe she was wearing, her figure could not be discerned clearly.

  However, she possessed a beautiful face that clearly belonged to a young maiden.

  Probably seventeen or eighteen in age by appearance. Her delicate face embodied a mixture of elegance and grace. She was a beautiful maiden who gave off an impression of great gentleness.

  Godou and his companions exchanged glances with one another. They were all quite surprised.

  The girl's complexion was brown. Clearly she was not of European birth. Even so, the soldiers did not treat her as some strange sight. Instead, their gazes offered admiration and goodwill towards her.

  "O Holy Maiden, please grant us your merciful blessings—"

  The olive-skinned girl made a troubled expression in response to a pleading soldier.

  It looked as though she wanted to say "Oh dear, what should I do?" Then after a few seconds of hesitation, she made a determined expression.

  "Although I have no idea how far my prayers may reach... I will put forth my greatest effort to pray for you all..."

  The girl spoke softly as she knelt down and clasped her hands together before her chest.

  Quietly, she closed her eyes. Her posture was akin to that of a pious nun engaged in a sacred prayer. Then a gust of wind began to blow at this time.

  This wind felt very comfortable and gentle.

  Godou shuddered. He could vaguely feel the presence of divine power.

  Immediately, the ten or so wounded soldiers sat up all of a sudden. They were all bearing nonchalant expressions as if nothing had happened.

  As far as one could see, their external injuries had all disappeared. Their bodies seemed completely fine.

  The change was particularly dramatic for the soldiers who had suffered burns. Their skin had become as smooth as a baby's, without even any swelling remaining at all.